Artificial for sure. No mess . No fire hazard. We just switched the lights to a higher voltage since our kids are teens we figure they they won't grab hold of them any more

I've always kind of chuckled at people who recyle paper , but hack down a whole tree for a weeks stay. I'm not a tree hugger , but the site of so many trees post Christmas just flung all over is pretty wasteful.

Good heavens, yes! My aunt had a set of antique clip-on Christmas tree candle holders. Every year, she'd insist on putting them on the tree on Christmas Eve and lighting the candles for a few minutes while we listened to 'O Holy Night'. My father would stand by the tree with a fire extinguisher, and I'd be holding my breath too afraid to look. I was always so relieved when that part was over! I don't miss that tradition.

Mr. Rose and I are definitely ready for the artificial tree route, but Lil Rose is a senior in high school, and begged us to wait until next year to change this tradition. I asked her what the difference was, unless she's not planning on coming home for Christmas next year? She assured us she'd be coming home, but that she would have less 'pull', since she was no longer living here. Sounded logical, so we relented.

well, we're artificial, but make it a 'memory' tree. Most of the ornaments are from back as the kids grew up. Several years ago I won a tree on a radio contest - $1000 tree - lots of fancy decorations, but it just didn't mean anything.
A couple years ago we got out all the old ones and had a blast remembering.

mkw, yep there's a "what do you collect" thread buried here in general discussion someplace.

I don't have a good pic of my full tree yet, I was attempting, but everything kept coming out fuzzy for some reason I'll try again on my day off later this week. I did get a good picture of one of my favorite ornaments though...super cheesy, but I found these 2/$1.00 at Big Lots last year so I snagged the 4 that they had left, what can I say, I'm goofy and loved em.

No tree this year...

...the puppy would "eat" it! As much as I love the smell of a live tree it doesn't make sense with us. We have such odd schedules that we aren't together enough to enjoy it. This year I bought a bunch of "Christmas tree" plug-ins so I have the pine smell without the needles all over the floor~!